The present invention generally relates to a reclosing arrangement for a container of cardboard, plastic or sheet metal and of the type which is adapted to be connected to a lid frame having an all around the lid frame extending groove, whereby a squarely cross cut top part of the container is introduced in said groove of the lid frame and is secured in this position by means of glue, wax, hot-melt or a similar material, and in which arrangement a reclosable lid is adapted to be connected inside or outside the lid frame, in particular under a powder proof or steam proof condition.
In a special embodiment of the invention the lid frame and the reclosable lid are formed integral, whereby the lid is rotatably connected to the lid frame over one or more hinges.
Many different types of reclosing arrangements of the above mentioned type are known since many years. In said known reclosing arrangements the connection groove of the lid frame for the upper edge of the container generally is formed with a slightly conical inner wall for facilitating the introduction of the container edge in the frame groove, and the container is secured in that an adherance substance in the form of glue, wax, so called hot-melt or a similar substance is applied in the frame groove with the substance in a hot or un-hardened condition, whereupon the container edge is introduced and becomes secured in that the adherance substance is solidified, dries or becomes hardened. One example of such a reclosing means is shown for instance in the German patent 1.511.087 (=FR 1.496.031).
It is important that the connection between the reclosing arrangement and the container is strong and safe so that the lid frame with the lid does not become loosened from the container; and that there is no leakage of air or of the packed goods from the container out in the ambient past the reclosing arrangement.
The known reclosing means of the said type are disadvantageous in a couple of respects.
When the container edge is being introduced in the frame groove the container is in sliding contact with the inner wall of the frame groove, and it may thereby happen that the upper edge of the container pushes the glue or wax away from said inner wall of the frame, whereby the glue or wax is removed from the contact surface of the inner wall and of the corresponding container side and the glue or wax is eventually pressed out and down to the exterior side of the container along the outer wall of the frame groove. This means that a weak and imperfect joint is obtained between the lid frame and the container; that leakages may appear between the container and the lid frame; and that the glue or another adhering substance, which is used, daubs the exterior side of the contanier which is usualy intended to have an aestetical appearance.
The lid frame, which is generally made of a plastic material, often has a poor stability and a poor torsional strength and the entire container therefore may be rather unstable, in particular when the lid is opened. It would simplify the handling of the container and the reclosing arrangement both in connection to the manufacture and the filling of the container and in connection to the following successive distribution of the packed goods if the lid frame had an improved stability.
Therefore there has been a need for a reclosing arrangement for a container of cardboard, plastic, sheet metal or a similar material, which reclosing means is designed so that the container can easily and safely be introduced in the connection groove of the lid frame, thereby eliminating the risk that the container presses off the connection and sealing substance when the upper part of container is introduced in the connection groove of the lid frame, or the risk that the connection substance is pressed out on the exterior side of the container; so that the complete container with the reclosing arrangement connected thereon has an improved stability and an improved torsional strength; and so that there is no risk of leakage from the container into the ambient past the lid frame.
According to the invention the above mentioned problems are solved by a reclosing arrangement in which the lid frame comprises several ribs on the inner wall surface thereof which faces the connection groove, which ribs extend mainly parallelly to the direction of introducing the container and which ribs:
support the upper edge of the container while being introduced in the frame groove,
and also act as side wall surfaces for a certain volume of glue or wax thereby preventing the risk that the glue or wax is pressed away by the upper edge of the container.
and which also stabilize the lid frame and the entire container.
A container closure assembly is known from the U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,434 in which the frame groove has parallel side walls and is formed with ribs on both wall surfaces which are facing the groove, which ribs extend from the bottom of the groove and some distance down, and which are adapted to cut themselves into the material of the container when the container is introduced in the groove of the lid frame. It may be difficult or even impossible to introduce a thin or weak container in the groove of the above mentioned known container closure assembly; there is no glue connection between the lid frame and the container; and apart therefrom the said ribs would still not be capable of preventing the container from pressing eventuelly existing glue away from the lid frame groove; and the said ribs further open leakage-ways from the interior of the container into the material of the container and also out into to the ambient.
Therefore it is important:
that at least the inner wall of the lid frame groove is converging in the direction of introducing the container;
that at least said converging surface of the lid frame groove is formed with several ribs;
that the ribs are likewise converging in the direction towards the bottom of the groove thereby forming contact edges for slidingly introducing the upper part of the container;
that preferably said ribs as a whole are conically tapering towards the bottom of the groove;
and that at least the innermost part of the ribs end on the surface of the inner wall of the lid groove at or adjacent the bottom of the frame groove.
Further characteristics of and advantages with the invention will be evident from the following detailed specification in which reference will be made to the accompanying drawings.